SAT Words—Spring Term
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nuptial adj. Of or pertaining to marriage, especially to the marriage ceremony
obdurate adj. Impassive to feelings of humanity or pity.
obelisk n. A square shaft with pyramidal top, usually monumental or commemorative.
obituary adj. A published notice of a death.
obligatory adj. Binding in law or conscience.
oblique adj. Slanting; said of lines; indirect and not straightforward, usually said of comments or
remarks
obliterate v. To cause to disappear.
oblivion n. The state of having passed out of the memory or of being utterly forgotten.
oblong adj. Longer than broad: applied most commonly to rectangular objects considerably
elongated
obsequious adj. Showing a servile readiness to fall in with the wishes or will of another.
obsolescence n. The condition or process of gradually falling into disuse.
obstreperous adj. noisy, unruly, difficult to control, boisterous.
obstruct v. to block or close up with an obstacle; make difficult to pass; to interrupt, hinder, or
oppose the passage, progress, course,
obtrusive adj. Tending to be pushed or to push oneself into undue prominence or into
discussions, imposing one’s opinions on others.
ocular adj. Of or pertaining to the eye.
odious adj. deserving or causing hatred; hateful.
olfactory adj. of or pertaining to the sense of smell.
omnipotent adj. Possessed of unlimited and universal power like as of God; related words:
omnipotence, omniscience, omniscient
onerous adj. Burdensome or oppressive; causing hardship
onus n. a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden; burden of proof.
opaque adj. Impervious to light; hard to understand
opprobrium n. The state of being scornfully reproached or accused of evil.
ordnance n. A general name for all kinds of weapons and their appliances used in war.
ornate adj. elaborately or sumptuously adorned, often excessively or showily so:
orthodox adj. Holding the commonly accepted faith or way of doing things.
ossify v. to convert into bone.
ostentation n. pretentious or conspicuous show, as of wealth or importance; display intended to
impress others
ostracism n. exclusion, by general consent, from social acceptance, privileges, friendship, etc.
overtone n an additional, usually secondary meaning or quality that is implied rather than
outwardly stated i.e., “The dictator’s speech was imbued with bellicose overtones.”
pacify v. To bring into a peaceful state.
palate n. The roof of the mouth; the sense of taste; intellectual or aesthetic taste or mental
appreciation of something.
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pall v,n. covering with gloom; the covering of a coffin; a coffin itself
palliate v. to relieve or lessen without curing OR to cause to appear less guilty
pallid adj. Of a pale or wan appearance.
palpable n. perceptible by feeling or touch.
panacea n. A remedy or medicine proposed for or professing to cure all diseases or all ills of
society
panegyric n. A formal and elaborate eulogy, written or spoken, of a person or of an act, to praise
them or it.
Panoply n. a wide-ranging and impressive array or display –OR- a complete suit of armor.
pariah n. A member of a degraded class; a social outcast.
parity n. Equality, as of condition or rank.
paroxysm n. A sudden outburst of any kind of activity.
parse v. To describe, as a sentence, by separating it into its elements and describing each word.
Parsimonious adj. frugal or cheap with money
pastoral adj. Having the spirit or sentiment of rural life.
pathos n. The quality in any form of representation that rouses emotion or sympathy.
patrician adj. An aristocrat of noble rank; someone with a good background of education,
manners, refinement, and money
paucity n. Fewness or scarcity in number
peccadillo n. a very minor or slight offense or sin, a little fault
pecuniary adj. of or pertaining to money
pedant n. A scholar who makes needless and inopportune display of his learning.
Quiescent adj. being at rest; quiet; still; inactive or motionless: (derived from quiescence)
Quintessential adj. the most perfect embodiment or example of something i.e., the
quintessential Portland summer afternoon –OR- the quintessential New York apartment.
Rabid adj. irrationally extreme in opinion or practice; furious or raging
rampant adj. Growing, climbing, or running without check or restraint e.g., the city’s rampant
drug use.
Rancor n. bitter ill-will or hatred
Rapacious adj. describes someone who seizes by violence or by unlawful or greedy methods.
Rankle v. To produce irritation or festering.
Raucous adj. harsh; strident; grating –OR- rowdy and disorderly
Rebut v. To oppose by argument or a sufficient answer.
reciprocate v. To give and take mutually.
recluse n. One who lives in retirement or seclusion.
recreant n,adj. A cowardly or faithless person –OR- to be cowardly, faithless, etc.
rectify v. To correct.
rectitude n. The quality of being upright in principles and conduct.
sanguine adj. cheerfully optimistic; having the color of blood.
sapient adj. Possessing wisdom.
sardonic adj. Scornfully or bitterly sarcastic.
satiate v. To satisfy fully the appetite or desire of.
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Scintilla n. a minute particle; spark; trace
sentient adj. Possessing the power of sense or sense-perception.
sibilant adj. Made with a hissing sound.
sophism n. A false argument understood to be such by the reasoner himself and intentionally
used to deceive
73. stratagem n. Any clever trick or device for obtaining an advantage.
74. subservient adj. Servilely following another's behests.
75. subvert v. To bring to ruin.
76. supercilious adj. Exhibiting haughty and careless contempt.
77. superficial adj. Knowing and understanding only the ordinary and the obvious.
78. superfluity n. That part of anything that is in excess of what is needed
79. superlative n, adj.. That which is of the highest possible excellence or eminence.
80. surfeit v. To feed to fullness or to satiety.
81. surmise v. To conjecture, to guess without evidence
82. synopsis n. A summary.
83. Tableau n. a picture as of a scene; a picturesque grouping of persons or objects; a striking scene
84. tantamount adj. Having equal or equivalent value, effect, or import; often followed by “to” i.e.,
“The country’s actions were tantamount to a declaration of war.”
85. Temerity n. reckless boldness, rashness
86. tenure n. The term during which a thing is held e.g., presidential tenure, a CEO’s tenure, etc.
87. theological adj. Based on or growing out of divine revelation.
88. theoretical adj. Directed toward knowledge for its own sake without respect to applications.
89. toilsome adj. Laborious.
90. Transcendent adj. going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding
91. transpire v. To come to pass, happen
92. trenchant adj. Cutting deeply and quickly said of language or actions
93. truculent adj. Having the character or the spirit of a savage i.e., fierce, cruel
94. turgid adj. Swollen.
95. turpitude n. vile, shameful, or base character; depravity.
96. tutelage n. The act of training or the state of being under instruction.
97. umbrage n. A sense of injury; usually preceded by the word “taking”
98. unanimity n. The state or quality of being of one mind.
99. unbecoming adj. Unsuited to the wearer, place, or surroundings; not like someone to act a
certain way, or dress a certain way, etc.
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unbridled adj. Being without restraint.